I get that New Years' columns are a little passe, and that Resolutions are about as hip-and-now as Guy Lombardo playing the New
Year's ball down the pole in Times Square. However arbitrary, the calendar re-fresh is a
strong invitation to look at what we're doing, and whether what we're doing will is likely to take us where we want to go. I like
this way of putting the question: on December 31, 2010, what will you appreciate about what you did this year?

Here is how I answered. Give it a shot and see if it's worth the effort. Was for me. However uncool New Years is or isn't.

"Stop voting for false progressives like Barak Obama and support true progressives like Cynthia McKinney of the Green Party."

Cynthia McKinney? Really? Okay, I have held it until now but the TROLL card must be played. Seriously, if every non-Kuchinichite can be called a right-wing troll in this realm, we can certainly apply the same label to the indymedia infiltrators.

Please people, give Obama a break and understand what he's up against. Unlike you, he resides in the real world and has a rational understanding of the political game. But then there's a far-left element just as strident and oblivious as their far-right counterpart. You know- morons.

Well, I want to change the way I spend my money and I will look for opportunities this year. By the way I am so stressed because of the economical situation! Ever since the recession hit, it's become essential that people start to save money. Since the recession originated in housing, it's even more vital to a homeowner. One of the biggest ways to save some extra cash is to look at heating and cooling. For one, look to see if you have any air leaks, especially around any seals such as doors, windows, or attics. Hot air will leak out to cold, and vice versa. (It's called heat transfer.) Seal any leaks, and to save more money on electricity and water, switch to efficient appliances, and make sure to insulate everything appropriately.

In your 88 words of invective, you managed to give not one fact, while avoiding the prompt completely.

Here are some facts. Despite his present denials, President Obama did campaign on a government component for his health care plan. Obama did campaign on an end to government abuses of the military tribunal system, including the rendition system. Obama did campaign on openness in government, and made specific promises to that effect.

All of these fairly substantial matters he has reneged on.

Indeed, immediately on assuming office, President Obama has signaled to the conservative right that he is not going to seriously threaten their hegemony, most clearly in his handling of the financial crisis, in his hiring of Geithner and Summers, and in his handing over huge portions of the public treasury to the rich.

The left has held its tongue far longer than it probably should have. While the conservative right has called out "liberals" and "progressives" for hypocrisy - and they have been right to do so - the response from the left has generally been muted. Your "morons" and bete noirs have given your "realists" ample time now to demonstrate some kind of policy trajectory. The tragic narrative of the health care bill illustrates well the shock and awe that the left has experienced has we've sadly let go of "change we could believe in."

So now, amid a shameful pile of lies and an impending military escalation of Afghanistan you pick this moment to assert that your side has a monopoly on "rational understanding?" That's weak. And it begs this question: what level of failure would it take to make you admit that the Obama administration was wrong in how it played out health care, wrong on Afghanistan, wrong on trying to placate the plutocrats, and should have taken a more FDR-like path of substantial reform?

And by the way, the name of the Representative who has been right about all these issues is spelled Kucinich. I don't know if he or McKinney or who else is going to be the particular candidate who will move the ball across the goal line. I do know, however, that they have been correct on these issues, and that this seems to mean nothing in your universe, and that means that YOU are the moron.

And I guess my resolution is that I'm not going to suffer morons as gladly this year as I did last year.

I guess I would consider more relevant the fact that I did this last year, and now it's time to come good.

Last year I was deeply concerned that Obama was going to do nothing about the most odious Bush policies. So, I vowed to work in my donated time toward doing what I could to advance whatever WAS being done that was positive. Then I, thought, I'll assess it again and make a major decision about the guy and if the DP was just as fraudulent as the rest of American life.

I had been thinking about giving it another year. After reading the 20th post in 6 weeks about M66/67, and watching what "concerned Dems" can act like, I've decided NOT to fight Obama. There must be better ways to work for the environment and social justice. So, I'm done with politics for a year. Full stop. I'm not even going to vote. Don't know if I'll look back and say, "glad I did it", but currently thinking, "wish I'd started this 3 days ago" is a good enough reason to give it a go.

I just decided I wanted to live my life and whatever I get would be mine, failures or wins, without having my parents pat themselves on the back for ‘helping’ me get there. So Thanks Scott, you helped me more than you can ever know.

Yes Joe, reality can be tiresome. Not sure what facts you were looking for in my post as I was merely stating an opinion.

Obama has been president for just over a year now. Think it may be a tad premature to throw him under the bus? Sure, he could veer sharply to the left and regain the Joe & Ted seal of approval. The remaining 70% of U.S. voters will toss his ass but at least he'd pass your true progressive purity test. Then you guys could sit around and bitch about his Republican replacement.

Last I checked there were 435 people in the house of representatives, 100 in the senate and it requires at least half of them to move that ball a fraction of an inch.

<h2>Incidentally, I don't see how anyone (well, perhaps insurance companies) could love the current versions of pending health care legislation and you never read any praise from me on the handling of the financial mess. What can I do about that? Should I have voted for a fringe left candidate with zero chance of accomplishing anything? How do you suppose that would work out Joe?</h2>

To Republicans in Congress and in state capitals across the country: It's time to refuse the NRA's support and their money. And donations received in the past should be donated to organizations supporting the survivors of gun violence.